May 3, 2012

Inspiration Is Everywhere!

It has been a little while since we've talked about what inspires us. Our last inspiration post related to color and we all shared some of our favorite sources. But what about design inspiration?

Some artists describe their design inspiration as coming from within. Lots of super-talented people just sit down and start making what they like. Personally, I often need to look around for a little inspiration to get the ideas flowing. Luckily, design inspiration is literally everywhere! Anywhere you look, seemingly subtle elements are waiting to be appreciated. Think about it -- from the sleek line of a sports car to the angles in a building; from the flowing neckline of a dress to the color and pattern of the fabric. The textures of a landscape and even the calm or chaotic scene outside where you are sipping your coffee offers an array of planned and unplanned design elements to take in. And let’s not forget the endless offerings found in nature! We are always surrounded by shapes, colors, depths, movement, and flow.

I head up Customer Service here at Beaducation. I’m not a professional jewelry designer and I don’t have a naturally artistic eye (like many of the people I'm fortunate to work with), but I really enjoy being creative. An artist friend taught me to actively practice how to see things differently. Here’s my interpretation: when your eye is drawn to something -- whatever it is -- rather than taking in the whole scene, pretend as though you took a picture of a specific area of interest, large or tiny. Now on that picture, use your imaginary purple crayon to highlight just the lines and shapes that speak to you and ... voila! You have the beginnings of a design idea in front of you.Noticing what thoughts or sensations come up in the presence of various styles adds another interesting layer to the experiment.

Perhaps you are naturally, subconsciously, and boundlessly inspired every day. (Lucky you!) Maybe an easy tool like this can supplement your vision. Not only is this a fun way to slow down and interact in the world around you, it trains your eye to see more than the obvious. However it happens -- KEEP CREATING!